Container



March 16, 1954 Filed July 29, 1949 w. B. CRANE 2,672,274

CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet l maawm March 16, 1954 Filed July 29, 1949 W. B. CRANE CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a /km ya. @0428.

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Patented Mar. 16, 1954 UNITED STATES CONTAIN ER Application July .29, 1949;Serial No. 107,404

. 2:. Claims. 1 This invention relates to containers and is more particularly concerned with a collapsible .container which is constructed from a one-piece fold- 1 able blank of paperboard or similar material and which when erected has the appearance ofa noncollapsible rigid set up container.

It is an object of the invention to provide a con- -tainer of generally rectangular form havingv the appearance of a rigid set up container but which may be economically fabricated from a single 'sheet of paperboard or similar material and furnished to theuser incollapsed condition.

Itv is a further object of the invention to provide a paperboard container which is formed. from asingle sheet of rrela'tively flexible material, cut

and scored to provide imperforated bottom wall,

side wall and cover panels, in combination with a perforated top'wal-l panel and foldable end wall panels,.wherein the cover panel comprises three thicknesses. of material which. is folded to. give it i. the finished appearanceof a solid board.

It is another" object" of theinyention. to proyidea collapsible carton formed from agsingle 7; blank or" paperboard material" which is cut and :creased to provide a 'series of connected panels,

' 'including-imperforate bottom and side wall "forming panels, a perforated top wall forming panel, an imperforate cover forming panel, integral end wall forming panels and. foldable bottom and cover panel reinforcing 'members;the panels being arranged so that glue may be applied and certain of the panels may be folded on standard gluing and folding machines.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the consideration of the preferred form thereof which is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a container embodying the principles of the invention, in completely set-up condition with the cover member in open position;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the container in completely set-up condition with the cover member in closed position;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a paperboard blank cut and scored to provide the container;

Fig. 4 is a plan view similar to Fig. 3 with portions of the blank in folded condition showing the first step in the folding operation; and

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the completed container in flat folded condition.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a container which incorporates therein the principles of the invention. The container 10 is fabri- 2 cated from a-blank -1 l d-Fig;- 3-)- of paperboardor similar material which is'preferably covered; on the outer side with-a decorative sheet :material --such--as-metal foil.

7 The blank i i- ---is generally rectangular 'form "and comprises a central-portion"divided into -panels'by aplurality of parallel transversely extending longitudinally spaced score lines 1 2, 43, 4, k3, lS-a-nd l'i',- which-score lines arem'f a length equal to the length-of the container. The

score line i2 which-is-spaced'from the end edge of the blank I l a-distanceapproximately equahto r thewidth of the finished-container defines with the longitudinally extending side edges -l sand -2 0 an inner cover -forming-panel 2|. A=-second,-==or outer cover forming panel 22, is defined by 'seore lines 12 and H -which areealsoslongitudinally spaced a distance equal' to xapproximately the width of the finished container: and the laterally spaced longitudinally--extending score lines 23 -arid 24 which are -in longitudinal al-ignment -with -end L edges 43 and 213 of the-cover-forming panel fl. Panels 25 and 2 fi-which'aregenerally rectangular in shape and each approx-imately' half the "area 25 of the cover panels 2| and 22 extend outwardly-of the scorelines-23 -and-24--and* arc -adapted to fold about the same" into face-to-face elation with the cover "formingpanek 22.

Transverse score lines I3- and 14 are'longitudi- -nally--spaced thedeptlr of the container anddefine' with the-score lines 21-and--28 the side'aorming panel 29. Relatively short end flaps 30 and 31 extend laterally beyond the score lines 21 and 28.

Transverse score lines [4 and I5 define with score lines 32 and 33 a bottom forming panel 34. End panels 35 and 36 project laterally beyond the score lines 32, 33 and are foldable about the latter into face-to-face relation with the bottom panel 34.

Transverse score lines l5 and I6 define with score lines 3'! and 38 front wall forming panel 39. Short end flaps 40 and 4| extend laterally beyond the score lines 3'! and 38.

Transverse score lines I6 and I1 define with the score lines 42 and 43 a top forming panel 44 which is apertured at 45. End forming panels 46 and 41 project laterally beyond the score lines 42 and. 43 and extend to the score lines 48 and 49 50 which separate the same from folding tongues 50 and 5| extending beyond the same.

A relatively narrow transversely extending connecting tongue 52 is separated from the top panel 44 by the score line I! at the end of the blank.

55 The blank I I when out and scored as described (Fig. 3) is passed through the first stage of the gluing and folding machine where glue is provided on the laterally extending end panels 25, 26 and 35, 36. These panels are then folded over upon the cover panel 22 and the bottom panel 34, respectively (Fig. 4), the end panels being folded about the lines 23, 24 and 32, 33.

The partially folded blank is then passed through the second stage of the gluing and folding machine where glue is applied to the cover forming panel 2| and connecting tongue 52, after which the blank is folded about the crease line to bring the glue covered face of the connecting tongue 52 into overlapping relation on the folded end panels 25 and 26. Thereafter the cover panel 2| is folded about fold line l2 to bring the glue covered face into covering relation with the tongue 52 and the end panels 25, 26 completing the container in flat folded condition as shown in Fig. 5. In this condition the container is furnished to the user.

In order to erect the container lo the side wall forming panels 2'! and 39 are swung about score lines [4 and I5 to bring them into upstanding relation to the bottom panel 34. The end flaps 30, 3| and 40, 4| are swung inwardly about the score lines 27, 28 and 3?, 38 after which the end forming panels 46 and 41 are folded downwardly about the score lines 42, t3 and the tongues 50 and 5| folded about the score lines 48 and 49 to position the latter in looking relation within the container. The cover for the container which is formed by the folded over panels 2| and 22 is adapted to be swung about the score line [3 into fiat relation on the top of the container.

In the completely erected and closed condition the container very closely simulates the appearance of a rigid permanently erected box or carton. When a material is used having a decorative outer surface, such as a metal foil, the appearance of the finished container is enhanced and simulates that of a rigid container of similar size which has been covered with a decorative material.

The blank from which the container is formed is cut with a minimum of waste and the arrangement of the panels is such that the blank may be supplied with glue and folded into the collapsed condition on standard gluing and folding equipment. The finished container has the pleasing appearance of a rigid covered container while at the same time being economical to produce and permitting substantial saving in shipping the empty containers.

I claim:

1. A collapsible container formed from a onepiece blank of relatively stiff foldable material, said container comprising connected bottom, side, end and top cover forming members, said bottom and cover forming members including integral reinforcing end flaps, each of said flaps being of an area approximately half the area of said bottom and cover forming members, and said end flaps being foldable upon and secured in faceto-face relation with said bottom and cover forming members.

2. A collapsible container formed from a onepiece paperboard blank which is cut and scored to provide a plurality of connected panels, said panels being foldable to form container wall and cover members, said container comprising in the erected condition, a bottom wall side walls, end walls and a hinged top cover member, said cover member including integral inner and outer panels of substantially the same area and reinforcing panels integral with one of said inner and outer panels, said reinforcing panels each being approximately half the area of the cover member, said cover forming panels being folded upon each other with the reinforcing panels between the inner and outer panels and secured together in said folded relation to provide three thicknesses of material which have the appearance of a solid board-like member.

WALTON B. CRANE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 685,977 Dicker Nov. 5, 1901 1,060,719 Stecher May 6, 1913 1,337,507 Lemos Apr. 20, 1920 1,689,763 Anschell Oct. 30, 1928 2,332,192 Becker Oct. 19, 1943 2,488,121 Greve Nov. 15, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 44,950 Denmark Dec. 7, 1931 

